Understanding Virtual Onboarding Dynamics and Developer Turnover Intention in the Era of Pandemic

Abstract

This study examines the dynamics of virtual onboarding (VO) for Salesforce Commerce Cloud developers during the COVID-19 pandemic in a multinational software company. The newly developed Virtual Integration and Retention Framework (VIRF), which provides an improved understanding of VO, customized to the opportunities and challenges presented by the pandemic, is the fundamental concept of this study. A two-staged, higher-order constructed (HOC) quantitative research approach was used for the study, revealing a negative relationship between VO success and the challenges brought on by the pandemic. This emphasizes how difficult it can be to transition to remote work settings, especially regarding how operational effectiveness and employee well-being interact. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the positive connection between VO success and the delivery of technology and equipment during the pandemic. This result emphasizes how important logistical support is to the effectiveness of remote work arrangements. The study's key findings show positive impact of successful VO on developers' job satisfaction and workplace relationship quality (WRQ). Strong VO practices are essential to improve employee retention, as evidenced by the inverse correlation between these factors and turnover intentions. The study uses mediation analysis, with job satisfaction and WRQ acting as mediators, to further clarify how VO success influences turnover intentions. This study offers an in-depth understanding of VO practices during the pandemic. It discusses the future of remote work and onboarding procedures while navigating the immediate difficulties caused by the outbreak. The study emphasizes how important VO is for improving WRQ, decreasing turnover intentions of developers within the software company, and improving job satisfaction. These insights benefit organizations trying to improve developer integration and retention in changing work environments and improve their remote work strategies.